Merci Kaiser Franck - Ribery retires from national team

Les Bleus will no longer see their world class #7 on the left wing any more. Ribery announced today that he will no longer play for the French national team. This comes as a slight surprise since he had to back out of the World Cup due to injury and the next major tournament will be held in France. Ribery would have been 33 for the next Euros, certainly not an advanced age.

Ribery stated that he came to this decision to spend more time with his family as well as concentrate on his career with Bayern Munich. For Ribery, his international career will be viewed as a good one, yet one that did not live up to what could have been. He was first called up in 2006, then a youngster in France. He was looked at as one of France's up and coming players, but what he would bring to the table was not known. It was more of a selection of a player to get him into the squad, blood him for later tournaments. Instead he played a vital role for Les Bleus in their run to the finals. It was Ribery that scored the still haunted the Bayern winger a year ago! Finally the 2012 Euros saw a French team finally get out of the group stages, but lose timidly against the Spanish Armada.

His best moment for Les Bleus?

equalizer against Spain. His pace out wide opened up lanes for the other French players, most notably Zidane. Unfortunately for the Kaiser, that might have been the highest of his international career. 2010 saw France crash out of the Euros with a grand total of 1 point. We all know what happened at the World Cup in South Africa. While many point to Evra as the ring leader of the mutiny, I think Ribery had much more to do with that fiasco than was reported. There was also a lot of controversy surrounding Ribery and how he treated his teammates, most notably how he interacted with Gourcuff. Something that

In none of these tournaments did Ribery truly shine or live up to his potentially - like he showed for Bayern Munich when he came close to winning the Ballon D'Or. So we close the chapter on Kaiser Franck and the French national team. Following on the heels of Nasri announcing the same, Deschamps loses another player that he can select. But like Nasri, this might be a blessing in disguise. Ribery has shown signs of breaking down - see his missing the last World Cup due to injury. He would be 33 at the next Euro. Again not over the hill, but maybe a little long in the tooth, especially considering that there appears to be an heir to the left side of the formation - Griezmann. DD can now focus on allowing his new left winger to develop and establish himself in the role. It was a joy watching Ribery bombing down the left side for Les Bleus. Alas it did not all come together for him and the national team at the right time.

Better to retire a year too early than hang on a year too late.

Merci Kaiser Franck.

No Ribery ... No Problem

So our fears have come to fruition. De Kaiser will not be heading to Brazil with Les Bleus. The Bayern Munich and France left winger did not recover fast enough to be fit to head to the World Cup for France. I said "no problem" tongue in cheek...first let me make a clear point: France is NOT better off without their left winger. Les Bleus have suffered a serious set back without having their true #7 patrolling the left flank. Is all lost for France? No. Even without Kaiser Franck, I think Les Bleus have a good chance to reach the 1/4 finals. But without Ribery, they have little if not zero chances of getting beyond the 1/4 finals. And their journey to the 1/4 finals will be more of a challenge than previously.

Now that we know there will be no Ribery, how does this impact Les Bleus?

• Who plays on the left side of the formation? Remy or Griezmann? The Real Sociedad winger is the most natural fit. He is a natural left footed player. Plays a more "traditional" left wing role - meaning he is more likely to hug the touch line, make runs to the end line and look to hit crosses. As opposed to Ribery who was more of a 1v1 attacking player who liked to come from the wing and cut back to the inside. I know that Remy was tried out in that role against Paraguay, but I think the Newcastle man will more likely be leveraged as a player off the bench that can play as a second striker, right or left winger. There will also be more importance placed on Evra and his ability to bring some offensive punch from his left back position.
• Speaking of crosses, does this impact whether it will be Benzema or Giroud up front? Without Ribery, I do think DD needs to consider starting Giroud. The Arsenal striker's playing style is to sit on the last defender's shoulder and to use his aerial game to either put crosses on goal or knock them down for teammates making runs off his distribution. Benzema tends to like to drift more, play deeper at times and plays more with the ball at his feet. DD might want this style more now that he does not have his pacey left winger. There could be the need for another player that is willing to drop deep to collect the ball and attack the opposing team. But there needs to be some consideration with regards to the different style of striker DD has available. 
• The offensive fulcrum is now squarely on Valbuena's shoulders. Le Petit Velo has

  

  The keys to the offense are yours Petit Velo

  become one of DD's main offensive catalysts, even when Ribery was on the field. Without the Bayern winger, even more of the offensive emphasis will fall on the Marseille midifielder's shoulders. I think he can and will be successful with the added offensive responsibility. He is also not entire alone - more will be expected from the likes of Cabaye, Pogba and Matuidi to be more offense in their play.

There is no way to spin this as anything but devastating for Les Bleus. The silver lining is that this injury is one that DD has been aware of since day one of camp, so I am sure, or maybe I hope, he has been preparing for this possible situation behind closed doors. Clearly he has had to make due without Ribery during France's friendly matches. The only worse situation would have been to keep Ribery on the roster and constantly wondered if and when he would return.

Now Les Bleus know the situation and what they have to work with. The cupboard is far from being bare, and I think France still have a good opportunity to make a run to the 1/4 finals. That would be a success.

Allez les Bleus.

French attacking midfielder out of World Cup...not the one you think

Ribery and Grenier for one Cabella?

With all the smoke swirling around the healthy of Ribery, another attacking player had to bow out of the French squad. The OL midfielder, Grenier, had to pull out of the squad. In my opinion not the biggest loss. I have never been enamored with the Lyon play-maker. He has some talents and is good at set pieces, but I am not convinced he is a game changer coming off the bench. Which would have been his role. In his place DD, called up Cabella to replace him. Not a surprise. A like for like attacking midfielder. To me, Cabella is a player that can bring something off the bench - pace, attacking minded dribbling, a player that can
single handily break down a defense 1 v 1.

Of course the Ribery story will not go away, with some reports stating that DD has also called up Schneiderlin. In anticipation of a Ribery announcement? I hope not. However I would rather DD make a decision of leaving Ribery at home if there are too many questions of his fitness than drag him to Brazil and then play the "what if game" every day...something to continue keeping an eye on. Of course Schneiderlin is not a like for like swap. If Both Ribery and Gernier are bowing out, DD has replaced them with another attacking minded player and with a more defensive minded player. This could have some ramifications on the line ups and tactics for DD. More on this if the time comes.

Ribery's back - what to do with the French left winger

One story line that will not go away, and is really just picking up steam is what to do with Ribery. I mentioned this after the draw against Paraguay, but it appears that the health of the left winger's back is a legitimate concern, less than 2 weeks out from the start of the World Cup. By some accounts it appears that the Bayern Munich star is closer to staying home than he is to going to Brazil. So what is Deschamps to do?

First, I think there is nothing to do until DD absolutely has to make a change. Per FIFA rules, DD can wait until 24 hours before the first match against Honduras on June 15th to make a change. Unless Ribery is 100% certain to not be fit for the World Cup, why do anything official.

I do believe, or maybe hope, that DD is working on a plan B in the back ground. Who would slot in on the left if Ribery cannot go? Which player would he call up to fill the vacated roster spot? Will he have to change his tactical thinking?

• It feels as if DD is using these preparation matches as a dry run for the possibility of not having his left winger. Starting both Griezmann and then Remy on that flank against Norway and then Paraguay. Both players demonstrated that they bring some value to the formation and can more than handle themselves on the left. Also, leaving in Evra for the bulk of the two matches shows me that DD wants to ensure his left back gets accustomed to playing with different combinations in front of him. If Ribery cannot go, my vote would be to have Griezmann get the nod over Remy. Why? First I think the Real Sociedad player is a much more natural fit at left wing. A natural lefty (yes I

  

  My back is just fine fellas...no really

  know Ribery is a righty that likes to play on the left) who seems comfortable at that role. I also like Remy's ability to play at the top of the formation or on either flank as an option coming off the bench.
• With regards to who fills the spot if Ribery is left at home, that is an interesting question. The pure offensive players he has on his reserve list are Lacazette and Cabella. Looking back, it might be telling that Deschamps gave Cabella some run during the Norway match. The player is a natural attacking midfielder, but could play on the flanks as well. He does possess some pace and dribbling ability. While Lacazette is more of a top of the formation player - center forward or winger. Both players are right footed. As of right now I would bet on the Montpellier midifielder to get the call if Ribery cannot go. I think that DD will want a player that can single handily take on defenders and break down defenses...a big component of Ribery's game. 
• Speaking of breaking down teams, I do not think this will change France with regards to tactics. What it will do is place more pressure on the shoulders of Valbuena as the creative fulcrum for France. Another reason why I see Cabella taking the spot if Ribery cannot play is the potential need for another creative playmaker in the mix. If De Kaiser cannot go to Brazil I also expect more offensive responsibilities to be asked of the three musketeers - Pogba, Cabaye and Matuidi. Which will also mean the likes of Pogba needing to consistently give 90 minutes. Something he can do, but must do with more consistency. 

 Without Ribery not all is lost for Les Bleus. I still think their chances of getting to a 1/4 finals are good. After that I still do not like them advancing past Germany. The question for Deschamps is what happens in a week if Ribery is not 100% but 75%? Based on what DD has been saying, he expects his player to be ready for the Jamaica game next Sunday. But what if he isn't? Does DD hope he can be ready by the knock out rounds? France has been down this path before - 2002 World Cup Zidane picked up a knock in the last warm up game and was not ready to play but was kept on the roster. France go out in three games. I would argue France went out of the World Cup for more than just Zidane being hurt. For some reason Lemerre decided to leave Micoud on the bench rather than starting the creative midfielder and playing him in the role he was so successful at in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen. I would have played Micoud behind Henry and Trezeguet, with Petit, Vieira and Makelele as the midfield trident. But I digress. Same thing in 2008 when Domenech decided to bring an injured Pat Vieira to the Euros. Again a tournament France crashed out after 3 games, and again not solely because of one injured player who could not play. That tourney was 100% on Domenech...gets me mad just thinking about that fool.

Deschamps will have a difficult decision to make in a week or two. He should be preparing for the worst - no Ribery and hoping for the best - De Kaiser being close to 100% by the Honduras match.

Allez les Bleus!

France v Paraguay: match #2 for Les Bleus, some questions remain

After the flattering 4-0 win over Norway, you would think that France are already in the 1/4 finals at the World Cup. Yes it was a very encouraging win. Coming on the heels of the remarkable 3-0 win against the Ukraine and then the 2-0 win against Holland, it appears that Les Bleus are moving in the right direction. They are. However there remain some questions with this squad.

• Injuries - Benzema reassured everyone that he is fine and will be ready to go. Fingers crossed. Varane seems to be taking normal precautions and I don't think there is anything to worry about. The real question, or fear, is how De Kaiser's back is doing. I am speaking of Ribery. His back remains a real concern, one that Deschamps has not been able to calm fears over. Per World Cup regulations, France have until 24 hours before their kick off against Honduras to replace the Bayern Munich winger from the roster. The fact we are even discussing that rule is concerning. This makes

  

  Let's hope it is a thumbs up with your back

  Griezmann's play that much more important to observe. How does he handle the left side of the attack? Based on what we saw last week against Norway it is positive...but one cannot assume a pattern based on one data point! Let us hope that the Real Sociedad winger continues to improve on his form and that De Kaiser's back allows him to go to Brazil.
• The right side of the formation. I alluded to this in my last post, and it is something I have harped on for a long time - France leans to the left (on the pitch but I guess also in politics...). Even without Ribery on the pitch, the French seem to launch most of their attacks down that flank and even the right sided players, like Valbuena, tend to drift over there. While I like Debuchy as the right back since he brings a legitimate offensive threat from his right side, I have to agree with the Gooner, his defense is a little suspect at times. And without his right winger there to help with the defensive and tracking duties, it leaves that side vulnerable. Norway exposed some of that early on in the game but did not have the talent to really exploit it. For this reason I think the door remains somewhat open for Sagna. Why? While his crossing ability drives me crazy...due to his lack of success...I cannot argue that defensively he is a beast. Does DD sacrifice offense to shore up the right side of his defense? But in doing so he makes France even more left leaning. Alternatively he could also instruct the likes of Cabaye to cheat to that side of the pitch, giving more cover for the likes of a Debuchy.
• Can the offense continue to show some bite? France's last few matches have shown some good snap with the offense. Can this continue? Much will depend on how Valbuena runs the creative side of the formation. As well as how the 3 holding midfielders continue to be able to jump up offensively. I also think we will need to see some distance shooting from Cabaye, which would really open up the game - forcing opposing defenses to extent themselves, thereby opening space for Giroud or Benzema. 

 Look for Les Bleus to come out with a similar formation as they had against Norway. One change will be Lloris in goal as the captain. We might see Sagna in place of Debuchy, but not sure. Giroud up front again unless DD wants to get some more time for Remy in that slot. Paraguay should be  slightly tougher opponent than Norway, clearly DD wants to get some run against a South American opponent, no surprise that the three friendlies are against a nation from Europe, South America and CONCACAF. See France's group opponents.

As with the last match, first priority - no injuries (see what happened to Italy yesterday) Second is to continue the good run of form from the last matches. Finally get plenty of players run during the game. As DD did last match, use all of your subs, get as many players some game time as possible.

France draw 0-0 against Paraguay. Yes bland, but I think France come back down to earth and we see classic friendly match between a team that doesn't really want to be there and one working through preparation.

Allez les Bleus

Disaster...

What else can you say about that showing. Hats off to the Ukraine who shut down Ribery and looked the better side. I am still stunned by the outcome.

The reality is I should not be. France's last two showings against Australia and Finland were fool's gold.  Yes they opened up the flood gates on the goal scoring, but I should have know that what was a better indicator of this team's status was the horrible 0-0 draw away to Georgia when France had to win in order to keep pace with Spain. The same can be said about most of the game against Belarus, where France allowed 2 soft goals in and had to claw back to win the game 4-2.

Les Bleus have a fundamental malaise. A rot at the core of the team. I have finally come around to realizing that the future does not lie with the likes of Nasri, Benzema or even...gasp....Ribery. Wonderfully gifted individual players, but players that do seem to worry more about the night club they will be visiting or the individual awards they might be in line for, as opposed to the overall team.

Ribery was a great complimentary player when he burst one the scene with France in 2006. But he came into a very mature team, led by the likes of Vieira, Henry, Trezeguet, Thuram

Better days for Ribery and Les Bleus

and a certain Zidane. All players that had won the World Cup and European Cup, but also players that had a maturity about them that has been lacking recently. Maybe that is why Deschamps insists on keeping Abidal in the starting line up, as one of the last links to 2006. While Ribery has been a better citizen for France recently, he is still carrying the stench of what happened in South Africa. Same as Evra. A player who has done nothing about his image recently after going on a verbal tirade where he decided to "settle some scores."

France are at the edge of the precipice...they are looking down into the darkness one where they will drop in the FIFA rankings, thereby making it more difficult to qualify for major tournaments...which will then make it harder to uplifted their rankings...and so the circular spin into the abyss continues. Short of a miracle in Paris in 4 days, there might be some difficult times ahead. The saving grace is that France are hosting the next European Cup - so they do not need to worry about qualifying, will get a head of group seeding, playing at home and might just get past the group stages!

Not heading to Brazil will not be easy to take, but at the end of the day it might be better for the federation. A shock to the system to clean house and reassess what France needs. Same thing happened after the disaster of qualifying for the the 1994 World Cup where France moved away from the talents of Cantona, Ginola and Papin ... and built around a certain Zidane. Now I do not think there is another singular talent like Zizou on the horizon, but there are some players France can build around. More on that in another post.

I still hold out hope that France finds a way to win 3-0 and go to Brazil, but my head tells me this time does not have the internal fortitude to do this. Do they have the talent? Absolutely. Do they have the fire...no.

Les Bleus end on a high note, the real work begins

So Les Bleus end the World Cup qualifiers with a resonating 3-0 victory over Finland. The game could easily gone 4 or 5 nil, then again it could also have been a much closer match. The Finns had a good 10 to 15 minute run where they gave France some serious scares. So let's look at this match and beyond:

The Good:

• Goals goals and more goals. Uh where has this side been? 13 goals in their last three games? Granted not against footballing powerhouses, but 13 goals is still a nice bakers dozen of tallies. What was encouraging is that most of those 13 goals have not been of the cheap kind, but have either been from taking chances from distance (Nasri goal against Georgia and Ribery's blast against Finland) or from great ball movement and creative play (Giroud's second goal against Australia or Cabaye's goal in the same match). It is also encouraging to see the forwards scoring as well as the attacking midfielders, even the fullbacks have chipped in. Let us hope this scoring becomes a habit.
• Speaking of the strikers, both Giroud and Benzema have found the back of the net the past two games. Both strikers have two goals each in the last two games. Now both remain far from challenging Henry as France's all time leading goal scorer. But it is encouraging to see both getting back into the scoring column. It will be interesting to see if Deschamps continues with Giroud as his starter in the playoffs or goes back to Benzema.
• Ribery...what else can you say about the reigning European player of the year. He is in top form. It is good to see that the Kaiser is carrying over his Bayern form to the French national side. If Les Bleus hope to get to Brazil, and gasp, do something more than try to win a game much will depend on the left winger. Ribery has been electric in the past three games. He saved France against Georgia when he netted a brace and carried over this form by tormenting Australia and then scoring a lightening goal against Finland. If Kaiser Frank's form holds then Les Bleus hold a fighting chance in the World Cup playoff.

The Bad:

• There remains lapses in the French defending. For a brief 15 minutes the French appeared leaky allowing Finland space and to get some potentially deadly passes to slice up the back four. It did not help that often it was a result of the fullbacks pushing up high and not having cover. But against a more clinical team, like Portugal, France will not have these lapses go unpunished.
• Matuidi did not look like the player we expected.  The PSG midfielder was not the dynamic midfield presence we have become used to. Not sure if he was not 100%. Granted of all the spots on the pitch I am not as concerned with the role - Cabaye should offer a natural replacement if need be.
• Not 100% bad, but something of concern - the balance of the attack. At times it was not pretty watching Valbuena and Nasri trying to coexist. Nasri was suppose to hold the right channel but to often found himself drifting into Valbuena's space. I might argue that Nasri should be slotted in the middle and put Valbuena out on the right. He seems to have more of the profile to hold his spot out wide. It has been argued that Debuchy found himself without support on the right without the winger holding their spot. Some truth to that. But overall the French attack still leans too much to the left. Deschamps will need to figure out if he needs to go back to a Payet or Remy on the right.

The Ugly:

• Nothing too ugly in this match...except....where was this team earlier in qualifiers? I am not sure if they would have found a way to get above Spain in the group, but the way France has played the past 3 games is what we all expect from the collection of talent. They dropped a game to Japan in a friendly, lost to Germany and Brazil and Uruguay. Played admirably against Spain home and away, but could have been better served against Spain at home. Hopefully Deschamps has this team building up to the World Cup, but France has to get there first.

So France will head to the World Cup qualifying playoff, and have the potential of finding themselves facing Portugal...

The reality is that none of the teams, in either group would be easy for France. Granted, facing Iceland might have been okay. But as what happened 4 years ago against Ireland proves, once you go to this format all the teams have a chance. I might regret in saying this, but part of me feels that France would do well playing Portugal, the other three sides play a defensive/counter attacking style that could frustrate Les Bleus and I could see France losing a one goal home and away set up.

It is encouraging to see France head into the playoff on a high note. But all of this will not mean much if France get knocked out.

Allez les bleus

6-0 where has this team been? France roll over the Socceroos

Wow, 6 goals...3 of which came from strikers. One of which was Benzema. What is going on?!?!?! The Socceroos did not look like one of the better Asian sides today, but seemed to be just what the doctor ordered. After putting up 4 goals last match these are just the types of games that France need ahead of their World Cup qualifier play offs. Just like we should not take too much from losses, let us not get too far ahead of ourselves after this drubbing. But there is a lot of good that game from this game...so we should at least enjoy it!

The Good:

• 6 goals...anytime you can score 6 goals in an international game that is good. And this wasn't some minnow like the Faroe Islands. Australia has become one of the better Asian sides, but looking nothing like those sides in Paris. After opening the scoring

  

  First half of his brace

  early on a penalty kick, Les Bleus kept on pressing and really took it to Australia. The score line could have easily been more severs had Remy not missed on two golden chances in the second half. But I will take the 6 goals.
• The attacking midfield - I have to say that I liked what I saw from Ribery - Nasri - Remy. As I thought, the presence of Remy on the right, especially with Debuchy behind him, allowed for the French attack to be much more balanced. Australia could not simply overload the left side. Nasri in the middle looked like the Nasri of old. He made some great passes, took on defenders when the opportunity arose and pushed the attack. Mid-way through the first half he dribbled to the end line, took on three defenders...who he beat...and drew a dangerous free kick. He also combined very will with Ribery on the third goal, the two former Marseilles midfielders using their pace and passing to break down the Australian defense and then Nasri put a simple square ball right into the path of an on rushing Giroud who was more than happy to get his brace.
• Speaking of Remy...his work with Newcastle teammate Debuchy was a sight for sore eyes on the right. The Newcastle right back was dangerous all night jumping up into the offensive zone, making runs from deep, offering good crosses and working well with Remy to bring life to the right side of the formation. Oh and Debuchy put away a wonderful left footed volley in the second half. Not sure Sagna would have had the creativity, let alone the talent to put that shot away. Debuchy almost found himself a brace on a header late in the game. The French right has been an enigma for too long. Let us hope that this promise gets fulfilled.
• Benzema...okay this might be a little tongue in cheek, but the fact the Real Madrid striker got himself a goal, albeit in a one sided game can only be seen as good. It was also a pure striker's goal. Ribery made a pacey run on the left and Benzema did what all strikers are taught to do, make a hard run to the near post. And he was rewarded. I hope this gets him back on the right track.

  

  Make a near post run and you will be rewarded

The Bad:

• Remy lack of finishing. Yes I am being picky. But Remy had two wonderful chances in the second half to get himself a goal. The first one he found himself all alone in front of the Langerak, it was clear he opened up the hips to fake going far post and tried to drag his shot back to the near post. Unfortunately he smashed his shot wide, not even calling upon the keeper to make a save. Some are calling into question whether or not he looked at ease enough on that side, but I think he deserves another look. Especially if you keep Debuchy at right back (which I think Deschamps needs to do). 

The Ugly:

• Australia...the Socceroos just did not look like they came to play.  They were letting the French look like Spain with their passing and counter attacks. The score line could easily have been 7 or 8 nil. At one point in the first half it felt like France might even score double digits. Just not what I expected from a decent national side.

Finally a game that we did not have to pull our hair out about. A game where France gave us a reminder of the talent they do have on the side. I forgot to mention but the duo of Cabaye and Pogba looked fantastic, with the Newcastle midfielder bring more offensive punch to that deep lying midfield (scoring himself on a bullet of a shot). Now Les Bleus need to head into their final match against Finland and look to build on this. I doubt they will get 6 goals, look for Finland to be much more organized and disciplined on defense. But France clearly have to have an eye to the home and away play off. The question becomes - does Nasri get another shot at the #10 role? What about Remy, I think he deserves another look but does DD go back to Payet? And up front, Giroud seems to be making it difficult to not start him. Time will tell. But for now let us enjoy this win.

France have a very successful day - now all eyes are on Tuesday's game versus Spain

Les Bleus emerge from today's match up again Georgia with the full compliment of points and a pleasant surprise - a Spain draw at home against Finland. This places France alone atop the group heading into the match up with the defending World Cup champions. France will enter Tuesday's match up 2 points up on Spain. This will give Deschamps some options when it comes to what strategy he looks to leverage against the Spanish. More on that later, but first some thoughts on the game against Georgia:

The Good:

First cap - will they earn #2 on Tuesday?

• 3 points from the victory..okay I realize that is stating the obvious. But heading into the match I was nervous that a)Georgia would just park the bus in front of their goal b)could threaten on the counter c)France might be looking ahead to the Spain rematch. Les Bleus started very fast and I thought looked like they would open up the scoring early - Ribery had a wonderful offensive display end on the wood work. And probably should have had an opening goal had Giroud not made hash out of a 1v1 in the 29th minute where he ballooned an attempted chip. Of course the Arsenal man did break through right before the half on a lovely little free kick from Valbuena that Giroud buried for a 1-0 lead. The second half saw France build upon their score line to finish with a relatively comfortable 3-1 victory. End of day - 3 points.
• The rookies - Varane and Pogba - both received their first starts and caps. A lot of noise was made when the Real Madrid and Juventus players were selected by Deschamps. Even more noise built up this week as it appeared that one if not both could be starting. Both players did more than just take up a spot on the field. Granted Varane was never really placed under threat, although Georgia did show some offensive spunk. However Pogba really impressed me. He clearly has the technique and power to control the midfield and do much of the dirty work. He offers a nice contrast with Matuidi in the midfield. It would be interesting had M'Vila not been an idiot and were still part of the senior squad this season. Pogba even contributed to the offense showing off his big leg with a nice strike from distance in the first half. The future looks bright for these two players. It will be interesting to see if one or both start against Spain.
• The veteran wingers - Ribery and Valbuena - both looked energized, had bags of pace, tricks and offensively minded. The both created major headaches for Georgia. Add to this both scoring goals and the game was good for the former and current OM players. They will need that level of activity and success on Tuesday when they face Spain.
• Jallet was impressive on the right flank. He was always available to jump into the offense, provided some solid crosses and tracked back well when he had to. France tends to lean to the left on attack - where Ribery likes to set up shop. To have a player like Jallet who can push the game on the right side gives the team some much needed balance. As the game wore on his crosses were not as effective, but overall was a real presence in the French game.
• Finally how can one overlook the captain Lloris? The Tottenham keeper showed how important it can be to have a world class back stopper. He made 2 huge saves early on - off a free header and made a strong save on a vicious shot. If he does not make these two saves who knows what happens. He was not able to keep a clean sheet, but not due to his error.

The Bad:

Haven't seen this in a long time.

• The struggles of Benzema are becoming a real issue. He has not scored for France in what seems like years...oh wait I think it has been! Last time he score was June 5th 2012...okay maybe not years...but feels that way. Especially for a striker of his raw talent. The weight of this streak is clearly impacting the Real Madrid striker. He had some clean looks at goal, getting two 1v1 opportunities and both times being too timid with his efforts. He continued to work hard all game. If he continues to do that the goals will come...but it is becoming a bad part of these games for France.

The Ugly:

• Following on Benzema's troubles is an overall ugliness when it comes to French finishing. Yes Giroud had a goal, but he butchered an early effort when he found himself alone against the keeper and chipped into row Z. Benzema had some weak attempts when he found himself in excellent scoring positions. Too often Les Bleus tried to be too cute, rather than just putting the ball on goal. Yes France scored 3 goals, but it should have been 4 or even 5. Against a side like Spain if France does not take advantage of their opportunities they might come out with a positive result.

Overall a positive result. In addition none of the players on a yellow picked up another card - in particular Matuidi. The fact that Spain was held to a draw at home was the final positive that came out of today. Of course none of that will mean too much if France lose to Spain on Tuesday. The other positive - France are close to guaranteed to at least qualify for the play offs if they do not finish first in the group.

I will be curious to see how Deschamps approaches the game on Tuesday. Does he stick with his 4-4-2? Or might he go back to a 4-2-3-1 and look to add to his midfield to counter the Spanish midfield? This weekend will be interesting with regards to how Deschamps gets his troops together. Finally will the youngsters Varane and Pogba get another start? I think the Juventus midfielder has the best chance to finding himself in the starting line up of the two.

Allez les Blues. 

Incroyable! Les Bleus pull off a "hold up" and leave Madrid with a point

Wow. I did not expect to see this out of Les Bleus. After Ramos scored and the way Spain were playing, I was ready to turn off the game. But what a swing in the second half. And at the ultimate last minute, France somehow leave Madrid with a 1-1 draw and a point. Unbelievable! The standings after this match:

The Good:

• The draw. During qualifiers you need to look to draw away from home and win your home games, especially when faced with the defending World Cup champions and two time defending European Cup champions. Add to this the way Spain made you look in the 1/4 finals of the Euros and the fact France leave Spain with a point is huge. France and Spain are atop the group with goals being the difference. If, and that is a big IF for France, both sides hold serve, the group cold be decided when Spain come to Paris in March.
• Hugo Lloris, the Tottenham #2 keeper was nothing short of phenomenal for France. He was unlucky that his defense abandoned him on the Ramos goal but otherwise was nothing short of spectacular. He kept his nerve on the Cesc penalty kick, saved well on numerous point blank chances and anticipated some Spanish through balls - especially late in the match saving at the feet of Cesc again. Without Lloris France would have been sunk.
• France's persistence. I will admit I was surprised that the likes of Benzema and Ribery kept running at the Spanish. For once they showed 90 minutes of fire in their bellies and were rewarded for it. In the second half both Ribery and Benzema single handedly carried the attack to the Spanish. Benzema was unfortunate to not be credited with an assist on Menez's goal...which was NOT offside. But in the second half both attackers put the Spanish back line under tremendous pressure.



Oh what a goal can do for one's spirit!

• Deschamps, unlike Blanc during the Euros, kept some modicum of offense in his line up. What was very interesting was how the game tipped in the second half. The French retained the ball more and attacked quickly down the flanks with late runs through the middle. This forced the Spanish fullbacks to sit at home more, play more defensively. In doing so the Spanish attack seemed to lose some steam. What was apparent was that the Spanish were doing a lot of damage early on by holding up the ball in the middle, allowing their fullbacks to make runs from deep and forcing the French to sag deeper and deeper on the pitch. Once those fullbacks were forced to sit in their half, the French began to have greater control of the ball.
• This pains me to say...but Ramos was a rock for Spain. Not only did he score the goal but he held the Spanish defense together which at times looked completely out of sorts. He made some tough tackles and single-handily corralled Benzema on a few occasions.
• Giroud...came in late for an injured Benzema, but did what a #9 is suppose to do. Almost latched on to a cross late in the game and did latch on to the last minute cross from the Kaiser to equalize. As someone on Twitter said - Arsenal needs to find someone to cross the ball to him!

Ramos - man of the match for Spain

The Bad:

• French finishing...I realize that France scored two goals, yes one was not allowed, but it should have been. And France were playing Spain not Georgia, but they had other chances that had to be put away. Other opportunities that needed to be taken - in particular a streaking Sissoko that latched on to a Benzema cross inside the penalty spot and didn't even come close to the goal! Les Bleus still have trouble taking advantage of their chances. This must improve.
• Deschamps substitutions. Taking Menez off the pitch and introducing Sissoko was a real head scratcher for me. The introduction of Valbuena in place of Gonalons made perfect sense - you were chasing a goal. But in the 68th minute, still chasing that goal, to take out your right winger and insert Sissoko, a holding midfielder was questionable. If you are going to make that move why not bring Capoue, also a holding midfielder, but one with more offensive punch than his TFC teammate. That substitution smacked of a Domenech move...it also called into question some of the players Deschamps selected. Leaving the likes of Nasri, Ben Arfa and Remy at home deprived him of offensive options late in the game. He had plenty of defensive options on his bench. But very few offensive "jokers."
• Set piece defending...when oh when will Les Bleus learn to defend set pieces! Ramos should have scored off his header, which was completely uncontested, and then was  left unmarked to roof in the cross! This has dogged France for too long now.

The Ugly:

• The Koscielny challenge was AWFUL. He was fortunate to not have received a straight red...the official probably wanted to spare him the added humiliation! I was convinced his partner Sakho would have committed such a foul, but the Arsenal man completely butchered that situation.
• Spain's defense in the second half was ugly and leaky. Where it not for Cassillas and Ramos, the Spanish could have easily lost this game in the second half. The chink in the armor seems to be, the ability to pressure the Spanish fullbacks, force them to sit at home on defense. This creates avenues from which to attack wide, there were a number of occasions where Ribery or Evra would push down the flank which would open up lanes for secondary runs to push through. Alonso virtually disappeared the second half - he seemed to be stuck deeper on the field trying to cover for the space that was being opened up. Clearly the Spanish missed their center back tandem of Puyol and Pique.
• Busquets...and his flopping. If there is one player I cannot stand it is Busquets. Whether playing for Barcelona or Spain...he is the biggest flopper and diver next to Suarez. Every time he goes down it is as if he were shot by a sniper. Nothing compares to his play acting a few seasons ago in the Champions League against Inter, but he drives me nuts. Sad thing is he is a good player and doesn't need such theatrics.

 An unlikely point for France. But one that was well deserved. France really took the game to the Spanish in the second half and had they left Madrid with a 1-0 loss it would have been undeserved. Unlike what happened in the Euros, Deschamps did not stray from his game plan. His team absorbed the Spanish attack for the first 20 - 30 minutes. They really did not allow the Spanish to truly threaten the goal from open play (conceding on a corner). In the second half they started putting more pressure on the Spanish, particularly going after the full backs and forcing the Spanish backs deeper and therefore opening up space in the middle. France were the more dangerous team in the second half. Ribery and Sissoko both having clear scoring chances, until Giroud put his away.

This will be very interesting to see how the return leg goes in Paris. Both sides should have some of their key players back. Can Deschamps replicate this strategy back home?

Allez Les Bleus.

Can France come back from Madrid with a result? I fear not...

Even the Spanish press is not giving France much of a chance to give Spain much more than a sparing partner come tomorrow's World Cup qualifier. Pointing out that Lloris the French #1 keeper is the #2 for his club, that Benzema and Ribery have not made supporters forget Henry or Trezeguet when it comes to goal scoring, that the central defensive pairing of Kos and Sakho have played next to one another one whole game, that the midfield has been deprived of a number of starters...and the list goes on.

Much will be expected of the two French attackers - can they deliver?

There is much truth in this for Les Bleus. Deschamps heads into this game with more questions than answers. France remains in flux. Benzema seems to be stuck in neutral. Ribery has come to life in the past year, but at times feels like the only French player on the pitch trying to score goals...difficult when the other team knows this. When all one has to do is shut down one player and the offense sputters, that makes the task quit simple. France's right side still seems to be searching for someone to take ownership of it, Menez appears to have an inside track, but has not yet really convinced me.

Without the likes of Diaby, Diarra and Mavuba, Deschamps is going to be leaning on a very inexperienced midfield to counter the likes of Iniesta, Xavi, Alonso et al. Scary.

Deschamps seems heading towards lining up a 4-3-3, as he did against Japan (my apologies for no post on that match, I was not able to watch and after seeing the stat line could not bring myself to sit through watching the replay only to watch Les Bleus drop the game!). The back line should look familiar:

Lloris the Tottenham #2 in goal
Evra, Kos, Sakho, Debuchy a the back, it will be interesting to see how Kos and Sakho work together. I am a little nervous with Sakho, he can get in trouble at times when he finds himself chasing the game. With the Spanish tic-tac passing, the PSG defender might find himself late on a few challenges....let us hope that does not cost a card, PK or goal!

The midfield will be very interesting, I expect to see Cabaye, Capoue and Matuidi. I look for Deschamps to ask Capoue and Matuidi to defend first and foremost, Cabaye will be given a bit more free reign to carry the play up the pitch, but I am sure that leash will be short as well.

Up front look for a Ribery - Benzema - Menez front three. Much will be expected of these three to carry all of the offense for Les Bleus. What I fear is that with Spain controlling the possession, you will see a Ribery become increasingly frustrated and drop deeper, same with Benzema and a Menez that disappears for long stretches. Since the PSG winger is not likely to drop deep to either recover the ball nor defend!

France have a major mountain to climb, and unfortunately not all their weapons. Then again Spain are missing their two center backs and will most likely drop Busquets to shoulder Ramos as center backs, maybe the one area France might be able to exploit. In the end there is way too much fire power on the side of La Rojas. I do not see the French midfield nor back line keeping up with the pace and precision of the Spanish Armada. Silva, Iniesta, Xavi, Cesc et al will cause fits all night for the back line of France.

Les Bleus will defend well, but have no serious attacking options. I think the game will be very one sided in terms of possession (typical these days against Spain). The French midfield will hold better than expected, but in the end the French will leak goals.

Prediction - Spain 3: France 0. Brace from Silva, late goal from Pedro.

Allez Les Bleus

Good win for Les Bleus - sit atop group I with the full 6 points

So Les Bleus sit atop of Group I after day 2 of qualification...mind you Spain only played one game! More on that later. After getting a deserved 1-0 victory away to Finland, France returned to Paris to secure the full 6 points from 2 matches with a 3-1 victory. As always there were some moments of nerviness from Les Bleus, but they secured a much deserved victory over Belarus.

The Good:

Jallet gave France some much needed width on the right

• I realize I might sound like a broken record, but the victory and full 3 points is good. France clearly was the better of the two nations, but you still need to finish and get one more goal than the other side! Les Bleus were able to put 3 past the Belarus keeper. Had Sakho been more clinical on two clean headers from the 5 yard box the score line could have been more flattering. But in the end, maximum points secured.
• The play of the Kaiser Ribery dictated the flow of the match. He scored the final goal to boot, but was very active on his left flank as well as drifting to center of the pitch. His pace and passing put the Belarus defense on its heels much of the game. The French game tends to lean heavily on the left side and no surprise why. Of course for Les Bleus to take the next step there must be a balance...
• Which brings me to another good mark from today the play of Benzema on the right and Jallet. I was skeptical of having the Real Madrid striker align himself to the right of the formation. However what I saw was positive. He actually did keep himself fairly tight to the right wing, allowing space for Giroud and attacking off that flank. More encouraging was the fact that when he cut into the middle, Jallet was making his runs down the right side to support the attack and provide additional width to the attack. He also scored what was a fantastic strike, but really appeared to be a cross gone wrong. But who cares! The result was a goal. While I think Debuchy remains the #1 choice right back, the play from Jallet and the return to health from Sagna as well as the steadiness of Reveillere allow Deschamps some choices for that role.
• Another solid game from the central defense of Mbiwa and Sakho. I realize that the Montpellier captain gave up a penalty, but overall both players demonstrated why Deschamps is entrusting them with securing those spots. Both players seemed to always be perfectly placed on the pitch, anticipate well and are strong in the air and in challenges. Now if only Sakho could learn to finish better! Add to this the play of Lloris, who made a brilliant save at the start of the second half and was unlucky after stopping the PK not to keep the ball out of his net. This trio is a solid back foundation from which Deschamps should be able to build upon.

The Bad:

• I realize it might be a head scratcher, but the poor French finishing remains bad. You might say, but Frog they scored 3 goals! They should have had more. Sakho missed two wide open headers from inside the 6 yard box. Not only that, but too often I felt the French looked to make a pass rather than take a shot on net when they got into the 18 yard box. They have to, especially against a team such as Belarus, test the keeper, look for rebounds or a keeper mistake to score more goals. Against a higher quality side you will not be afforded as many chances, so when you are presented with a clear shooting chance, take it.

The Ugly:

• France's drop in concentration was a tad concerning. After going up 2-0 on a wonder goal by Jallet....okay it was really a cross gone bad...but still was a great goal, Les Bleus seemed to just ease off the accelerator and drop in concentration. This led to the PK and subsequent Belarus goal. Unacceptable! Against any team, once you go up 2-0 you need to look for the 3-0. Or if you are going to play defense, then lock things down. You cannot let a player just make a run within the 18 yard box causing a foul which leads to a PK. Again, against better opponents this will not be allow to go unpunished!

So France end the first round of qualifiers with a full complement of 6 points. Next stop...Spain on the 16th of October. A big match for France to say the least. Could have had even greater implications had Spain not found a last moment winner away to Georgia. Spain could have even lost that match, Georgia hit a post late in the first half! France will have to look to come out of Spain with any type of result - a draw would do them just fine. While many, including myself, think that France will still have to get through a play off to go to World Cup 2014, there is a chance...albeit a small one. Spain cannot feel great after struggling against lowly Georgia, might France be able to take advantage of this? To be determined in 5 weeks.

Allez les Bleus!

Nothing to see here...carry on - France v Uruguay ends in a drab draw

First game down for new manager Deschamps...nothing gained nothing lost. France v Uruguay ends in a 0-0 draw. France had the most clear chances, but lacked a certain efficiency in front of goal. Not too much to take from the game, but here are some thoughts:

The Good:

Bright future for the TFC midfielder?

• Ribery looked lively and was a real creative threat. There was a move in the first half where he was caught between three defenders some how pivoted off the first defender and tapped a perfect pass through the legs of the other defender while the third player was trying to find his jock. He stayed on his preferred left side but did float around the pitch appearing in the center and on the right. Let us hope that the Kaiser keeps this form, France will need him to get through qualifications.
• The new kids - Mbiwa and Capoue - demonstrated some real interesting elements. The first was calm and cool for his first cap, considering the role he plays that is impressive. He made some very cool tackles around the 18 yard box that demonstrated a level of talent and a coolness under pressure necessary for the role. He was unfortunate to not open his goal count as well, calling for a fantastic finger tip save from Muslera. Something to keep an eye on. The TFC midfielder came on in the second half and I was struck by his dominating size but also his fluid play - dare I say a "box to box" midfielder a la Vieira??? Okay this might be a stretch, right now. Not sure if Capoue will have the offensive ability that the former Gunner had, but again something to watch in the upcoming France matches.

The Bad:

• What to do with the strikers? There is much debate on how to get Benzema to play like he does for Real Madrid...or even how he played in the past for France. There was very little connection between Benzema and Giroud. However, Benzema, as we suspected, could not help but drop deep on the pitch. At least with Giroud on the field the Uruguay central defense had to respect this threat. Unfortunately, like what happened in the Euros, Benzema did a lot of work, but for few results. Frustrating.
• Midfield linking players...or lack thereof. Not having Cabaye in the midfield was apparent. With Gonalons and Mavuba there was a lack of link between defense and attack. Something that we knew was a concern heading into the game. I realize this pairing was not necessarily one Deschamps will look to lean on, but it also emphasises how important the play of Cabaye is for France.

The Ugly:

•  Finishing anyone? Anyone? Sigh, I think we were spoiled when we had the likes of Henry and Trezeguet patrolling the pitch with Zizou feeding them the ball...France has yet to really find players of that finishing level. I realize these types of players do not grow on trees. But Benzema clearly has the talent to put more goals in for France. Les Bleus need to get some results from all the chances they are creating for themselves!

Overall a typical first international match of the season, cautious, lack of real extended flow, some bright spots ... but otherwise forgetable. Deschamps will have some things to think about, but there is also much work ahead for Les Bleus!

Allez les bleus!

France v England draw...like kissing your sister

Well I guess I have some predictive abilities...I smelled the draw. What I didn't smell was England playing like Greece circa 2004, parking the bus, a trailer and a few scooters in front of their goal!

The Good:

Served well as lone defensive MF

• France didn't lose...I realize that isn't something that is great to hang your hat on, but I could see the Three Lions getting a late goal on the break after Les Bleus were pushing for the win. France has gotten a point from their biggest rival in this group. Now they have a chance to get points against the co-host Ukraine. Get a point and move on. England looked dangerous through out with regards to beating Les Bleus on a counter, the fact the French defended against this is positive.
• Diarra was huge. Granted his defending was questionable for the England goal - he allowed Lescott to run almost free to head in the goal. Otherwise Diarra was huge. He defended extremely well, he was very active on set pieces - forcing a huge save from Hart - the way he played would make me question whether M'Vila will slot back into the starting line up for the next game!
• Ribery and Nasri both looked very lively and gave the English defense some real problems. The Manchester City man gave Les Bleus the point with a long range effort that beat his teammate to the near post. They both has some nifty touches where they almost sprung Benzema. The one problem - too often they found each other bunched up and without space.
• Taking shots from distance, I realize that the great Alexi Lalas made some dismissive comments about France taking shots from distance. However I think that France forced Hart to make some decent saves. When a team defends with 8 field players in the box and gives you space you need to take what is available. Shooting from distance, when you put the ball on goal, will lead to good things. I am sure Lalas believes that someone like Landycakes would just dribble through the entire defense...France should continue taking these chances, but just need someone to crash the net. In addition, France was putting shots on goal...rather than ballooning the shots into row Z...oh and yes....France's goal came from a shot from distance by Nasri.
• England's right back Glen Johnson played a wonderful game. He defended well against the attacks from Ribery and also contributed to the English attack. His play and defending forced Ribery to float more into the middle of the park at times actually getting to close to the likes of Nasri allowing the British defense to defend in mass.

The Bad:

Never got to take off the warm ups...

• France didn't win...Les Bleus dominated this game offensively. France had 8 shots on goal...England 1 (the goal). France had 10 corners to Englands 3. At one point France had 60% possession...that is what you see when a team like France or England play the likes of Barbados! Les Bleus allowed England to sit back and clog the goal box.
• Blanc's usage of substitutes leaves something to be desired as well. He did bring on Martin and Ben Arfa late in the game, showing his desire to try and get the full three points. But those moves were very late ... less than 10 minutes. I question why he left Giroud on the touch line. Why? England was packing the penalty area - parking a bus in front of Joe Hart. It did not help that Benzema kept dropping deeper to get involved in the game. Why not put in a Giroud who can play on the last defender, who can receive crosses, hold the ball up or be used to distribute high passes? that might have put the English further on their heels maybe getting the second goal. I think Blanc should have been more aggressive with the timing of his substitutions.

The Ugly:

• Defending of set pieces by France. Once again Les Bleus show a deficiency in this department. England did exactly what they needed to do - defend and look to get a goal on a set piece. The Gerrard kick was well placed, but it was a ball that Lloris MUST come out and play! In addition, what is Diarra doing letting Lescott just run to the spot? Once again this is something to watch for with Les Bleus. I fear that something they have not been able to solve in years will get figured out in a few days! 
• Lack of speed. What do I mean by this? France has shown something the last few games because they played with speed and urgency. They constantly ran at teams. Granted not the same level as England. But...France was too content to slow down the game, allow England to regroup, rather than taking chances and pushing the ball at the English defense. 
• Parking the bus...okay I realize that the strategy got England the point they sought. And as the Gooner said, "England is terrible," so I guess it is a good strategy. But it is ugly. I was sent the following from facebook that captures the ugly England tactic - "England make Greece look like '73 holland" I think they mean '74 Holland but the point is very well made!

So both England and France leave this match with one point. England has to feel a bit better as they clearly were playing not to concede. France will be frustrated at their inability to break down the English back 4. The one advantage France have is they face the weaker of the remaining opponents in the next match - Ukraine. And based on what I have seen from the Ukraine v Sweden match, the former member of the Soviet Union is not looking to do any valeting. As for England, it seems more and more that they might be looking to play it safe until their last game when they get Rooney back.

Allez les Bleus!

France v England...need I say more?

After three great days of footy, we will have the last group kick off their matches starting tomorrow. With the much anticipated matched between Les Bleus and the Three Lions. Sweden will also play Ukraine, and this match also has some intriguing plot lines.

Both sides will run out line ups without too much surprise:

England (probable) : Hart, Johnson, Terry, Lescott, Cole, Milner, Gerrard, Parker, Downing, Welbeck, Young.

France (probable) : Lloris, Debuchy, Mexes, Rami, Evra, Cabaye, Diarra, Malouda, Nasri, Ribery, Benzema.

The only question was whether or not Andy Carroll would be featured at top of the English formation. I would keep an eye on him as a late game change, a player who could give real problems to Les Bleus and set pieces. The three keys to the game to watch for:

1. Ribery on the left side. How will Johnson fare against the in form Kaiser? Johnson himself is eager to push up the pitch and at times forgets his defensive responsibilities. I am not sure that the England midfield will be able to cover for the gaps if that happens as well. If Ribery is allowed space and can get behind the English defense then it could be a long day for Hart and co. If Johnson does his best impression of the British squares repelling the Napoleonic cavalry charges at Waterloo than England will have countered on of France's major threats.



Preview of what to expect from England?

2. England's strikers and wingers. How will Welbeck and Young fair against the French back line? I have a real concern over Mexes. I think that Rami will be fine, but the AC Milan man has shown some rust and some shaky defending as of late. While I am not ready to anoint Welbeck as the next Shearer, he has the pace and skill to potentially exploit Mexes' gaffs. I would look to Diarra and potentially Cabaye to try to cut down the source of passes from the midfield and try to avoid Welbeck spring loose behind the French defense. Mexes will most likely defend high, which could be a risky proposition against the England strikers. Evra might be the wild card for France, knowing very well the English strikers' tendencies. Also look for The Ox to be a wild card, he could come on late and use his pace against a tired French defense to create some real problems.
3. Who holds their nerve. This might not seem important when you have two squads comprised of players that play club football at the likes of Manchester United, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester City, AC Milan...but both squads go into this match with high pressure. England has not won...well you know the rest...since 1966. Granted the Three Lions go into a tournament WITHOUT the burden of outrageous expectations from their home fans. For once the pundits in England are not predicting a title. But that pressure is always lurking...For the French until they win a game in a major tournament they will always be under the dark cloud of South Africa and the Domenech era. It seems like another life time ago when Les Bleus were in the same shoes as Spain - having won two major consecutive titles - World and European Cups. After an improbable run to the World Cup finals in 2006, France has been a shell of itself on the world stage. 2 points in 6 matches spanning the 2008 Euros and 2010 World Cup. France had goalless draws against Romania and Uruguay, and lost to Holland, Italy, Mexico and South Africa in that same span. Oh yeah and the little "strike" the players went on in South Africa! There is a tremendous amount of pressure on Les Bleus to do something...just win a game! Which ever team does not allow the pressure to impact their game will find a way to the points.

How England wins - Welbeck's pace is enough to slip behind a shaky back four for Les Bleus. Gerard plays inspired football and controls the game from midfield, not having to co-exist with Lampard allows the Liverpool man to put his stamp on the midfield. Terry rises up to the challenge and shows steely nerve in controlling and marshaling the back 4 of England.

How France wins - Ribery overwhelms the right side of the English defense and he combines with Benzema to run circles around the English back 4. Nasri keeps Cole occupied enough that the Chelsea left back becomes a non-factor. The French midfield trio of Malouda, Diarra and Cabaye are better organized and have more pace that their English counter parts suffocating the midfield and not allowing regular service to be restored.

What will happen - I think this will be a very cautious match between two old foes. I think that the nerves will catch up with Les Bleus - especially on defense. England will beat France on a counter springing one of their pacey players to snatch a goal late in the first half. France will settle down and lay siege to Hart's goal. A late substitution of Giroud will prove the difference as he and Benzema link up for the equalizer - France 1 England 1

Allez les Bleus!

France - Estonia: Building momentum

I have been remiss for not posting on the France v Estonia match, the last one prior to the start of the Euros. But sometimes life gets in the way of my publishing! Here are my thoughts:

The good:

Keys to France's fortunes

• I realize I sound like a broken record - the victory. Granted France were playing a smaller side in international football - 57th in the FIFA world rankings. The nation still finished second in their qualifying group, behind Italy. They ended up being thumped by Ireland in the playoff. But let us not forget what it was like during the warm up matches for the World Cup in 2010 - France lost to China! That threw everything into a tail spin, granted Dumbenech didn't help the situation and deciding to start Gouvou...sorry I digress. Heading into the Euros on a high note is a positive.
• Benzema and Ribery - These two have been linked at times for all the wrong reasons, but the fact both got goals is very positive. The fact that Kaiser Frank has scored in three straight games for Les Bleus is even more positive. After not scoring for France in too long, he now seems on a nice streak. Granted he will be facing a slightly tougher opponent on Monday, but he must be heading into the tournament full of confidence. The same for Benzema. After a very successful season at Real Madrid, I wanted to see him score for France before the start of the tournament. 4 years ago he headed into the Euros with a lot of pressure on his shoulders, which he still has. However playing at the highest levels with Real Madrid, having to battle for his place on the squad have allowed him to mature. Getting a brace against Estonia is just what the doctor ordered. He also had a nifty flick on for the Ribery goal.
• The 4-3-3 seems to be working well for Les Bleus, at least offensively. Scoring 9 goals in 3 games is a very positive sign. The freedom the formation gives to the offensive players has allowed them the freedom to exploit their offense. The move of Malouda to a deeper role seems to be working out very well. The question remains - is the system solid defensively? More on that later.
• No one got hurt! This cannot be understated, while it looked like Diarra might give us a scare early on, end of the day none of the players picked up any last minute knocks. All you have to do is look at France's first opponent - England - and see what injuries can do to your squad.

The Bad:

• While not necessary bad, it is not good either...but I am still waiting to see the right side of the offense take the next step. Nasri continues to be a bit maddening in his inconsistency. At times he looks like the player we always expected him to be - able to play the right wing, slot to the middle, drop deep and bring an offensive touch to the side. Unfortunately at times he seems to disappear as well. I am also not convinced of his interplay with Debuchy, the Lille right back makes some very dangerous runs from deep, but I am not sure that Nasri is quite there yet with how to interact with him. We know that Nasri has it in him, but can he be consistent? The one saving grace is that Blanc has a number of options he can throw on the right in games to change the pace - Ben Arfa, Menez and Valbuena can all operate on the right side.
• Of course on the left side I am concerned about Evra. He does not seem to have the confidence a player of his stature should have. I believe Blanc will stick with him because of his experience, but he is at times a tad shaky. His offensive runs are still useful but on defense he is not the defender we are accustomed to seeing patrolling the left side for Manchester United.

 The Ugly:

• Speaking of defense...Mexes is starting to give me some concern. There have been whispers of he being out of shape and too "fat." Whether or not his weight is an issue, the fact remains that the AC Milan man has had some gaffs, which against a sterner opponent will not go unpunished. As with Evra, Blanc will stick with his core. Mexes has the talent and ability, the question is he paying for being injured much of the year in Italy? If the central defense gets leaky, this could get very ugly.
• This is not helped by the current 4-3-3. I realize I stated I thought the 4-3-3 is good, and it is, but defensively it still needs some work. Unlike the formation and how it was leveraged away to Bosnia, where Blanc deployed 3 holding midfielders: Diaby, M'Vila and Diarra. He now has 1 true holding and 2 hybrid holding players...The question is, can Malouda and Cabaye be disciplined enough to pace themselves when it comes to their offensive runs? Both players will have to be very conscious of their defensive responsibilities otherwise we might see the equivalent of run and gun!

Overall there is much to like from this last match. But none of this counts come June 11th. France will have a massive task ahead of it. Look for the Frog's Euro predictions coming out soon!

Allez Les Bleus

France with the 4-3-3 or Christmas tree?

It appears that Blanc might be ready to move on from the usual 4-2-3-1 that we have grown accustomed to. Of course let us not forget that a certain Dumbenech dabbled with a 4-3-3 before the 2010 World Cup, it showed some potential...and then went back to a 4-2-3-1 once the World Cup started. Why the 4-3-3 or even the Christmas Tree is an option for France is the personnel available.

Not just a pretty face

Blanc does not have a true #10, but what he does have are a number of flexible midfielders - ones that can play wide or float into the middle of the park. With that in mind, the 4-3-3 works well allowing the top 3 to interchange, play at different levels and widths. Benzema fits that scheme as he likes to drop deep at times or float to the wings...Ribery, while natural on the left, can pop up on the opposite wing or in the middle. What has been eye opening is the play of Malouda who seems to be at ease slotting deep or in the middle. While he is not the typical #10 he does fill a void in the center of the park. The question becomes Nasri or Ben Arfa on the right. The Manchester City man had some flashes against Serbia but also disappeared at times. Does Blanc continue to put him out there or does Ben Arfa get a serious look.

Blanc also has depth - Menez, Martin and Valbuena are all options to play on either wing in the 4-3-3. The formation shows promise, it has been used before with success and I hope Blanc sticks with it...and does not pull a Domenech at the last minute!

Another win for Les Bleus - but a big time scare early on

So France march on with another victory in preparation for the Euros. This one much easier than the first against Iceland. Yet it too had some scary moments...right from the beginning!

The Good:

• Like I stated after the Iceland game...a win is a win. Unlike the Iceland game, Les Bleus came out with their dancing shoes on and quickly jumped out to a 2-0 lead and it could have been 3-0 at the half hour mark had Benzema been able to react to a deft Ribery pull back. But the game was much easier for France overall and the victory well deserved.
• Speaking of Ribery, another goal and really a fantastic match for the Kaiser. Ribery started this match in his preferred left attacking spot. He and Clichy seem to click immediately, the Manchester City left back jumping into the offense allowing width to the attack. On the Ribery goal it was a nice little overlap from Clichy after Ribery had drawn 3 defenders that opened up the space. Ribery was then able to run to the open space left by the Serbian defenders, follow up on a dangerous cross from Clichy and finish with a powerful volley. In addition, Ribery was allowed to float and interchange with Malouda and Nasri, really popping up all over the field. Scoring two goals in two games has to be good for the Bayern man, he looks ready to have a good tournament.
• One has to give a tip of the cap to Malouda and Nasri as well. The Chelsea man had a wonder goal from distance, showing a willingness to shoot, something too few midfielders seem to do these days. Like Ribery, Malouda allowed himself to run to space and take what the Serbian defense gave him. The same can be said for Nasri. While he tried to maintain his position on the right, he too allowed himself to take what was given. At times two of the midfielders found themselves stacked on the same side, but not an issue when the defense was giving that space away.
• Lloris was once again solid. It is easy to overlook sometimes the consistency of the Lyon keeper. He was called upon to make some above average saves, in particular on a free kick early in the second half. His play and steady hand will be vital to keeping the French well grounded from the back.
• The wide players - Clichy and Reveillere - both played solid games. Giving Blanc some good options for who he wants to lean on for left and right fullbacks. I still put my money on Debuchy on the right but on the left Clichy could play his way over Evra.

The Bad:

• Midfield work in progress...why bad? Because there are 11 days until the start of the tournament! I think the Ribery - Nasri - Malouda midfield was good...but I think there remains work to be done. I am not sure that with Nasri you have enough balance between the left and right side. Nasri tends to like to come back to the middle and while Malouda and Ribery pop up on the right, the real threats are from the left. Does this mean Ben Arfa is the solution on the right? I do not know. And that is bad this late in the game.
• Benzema...might be a surprise but I think his lack of finishing is a bit disconcerting. He had a clear 1 v 1 early on, while the keeper made a decent save, a striker of Benzema's caliber needs to make the keeper work harder for a save. He also had a clear opening when Ribery showed some twinkle toes on the end line, granted it wasn't the easiest ball to handle, but again player of his level should at least get a foot to it.

The Ugly:

• M'Vilas ankle...ouch. After 44 seconds it looked as if a key part of Blanc's set up could be done. Seeing the Rennes midfield on the bench sobbing after being taken off at the 4th minute was also a tad nerve wracking. M'Vila has become one of Blanc's main players and one quickly sees why when he is on the pitch. He provides cover for the back 4 and adds steel to the midfield. France could go far if he plays and plays well, without him there is definitely a lost element.  Thankfully all reports indicate the injury will not keep him out the Euros. 
• Yellow cards .... for Mexes. Ribery played in two games and scored twice, Mexes has played in two games and recieved...two yellow cards. These do not mean anything now, but once the games start for real if begins to pick up yellows it will not be good for France. Especially since Blanc only has three natural center backs. Something that could get ugly if not controlled. 

Again a win. First half was very good. France played simple and fast, constantly putting Serbia on their back heels. The second half it appeared that fatigue caught up to both sides and we fell into a lackluster international scrimmage. That is fine as long as you win and do not get hurt!

One more before we start for real.